Cruise Next Certificates & On Board Credit

Hi,

I am booked with an online TA and am on Escape this weekend. It's our first time on NCL. I just received the email below. This looks like a great deal. If I buy 4 next certificates for 1000 they will give me 500 obc. That sounds like great deals. What's the catch?

As your dedicated cruise experts, we've partnered with Norwegian Cruise Line to get you a great deal; if you place a deposit on your next 6-night or longer Norwegian cruise while onboard your upcoming sailing, you'll get up to $500 instant onboard credit to spend on your upcoming cruise. You don't even need to commit to a specific ship or sail date! It's just another way to thank you for choosing us.

Just take this email with you and present it to the reception desk onboard.

Thanks

no catch. Most people buy the certs onboard. you pay 50% of face value (i.e., you pay the full amount and immediately apply the OBC credit to pay for 1/2).

I guess the "catch" is that you can normally use only one certificate per cabin in the future. Sometimes 2, based on special offers.

Alternatively, you can decline the OBC and receive 4 $250 certificates for $500 or 8 for $1,000. With two certificates accepted for balconies+ six months off, they don't last long.

Alternatively, you can decline the OBC and receive 4 $250 certificates for $500 or 8 for $1,000. With two certificates accepted for balconies+ six months off, they don't last long.

You don’t have to decline the OBC — it all nets out the same if you don’t spend the OBC while onboard.

It is not FREE money (or real OBC) they talk about!!

Look at it this way:-

You buy 4 certificates and your on board folio is charged $1000.

At the same time your on board folio is credited with $500

At the end of the cruise you owe $500.

Although they call it OBC just take it that you are buying $1000 of credit which costs you $500.

What they want you to think is that you have $500 OBC and then you will spend it while on board when you really didn't intend to spend that amount.

It's our first time on NCL. So if I enjoy the cruise then the buying the certificates is like buying them for 50% of value. So it's a good deal if you know you want to take another NCL cruise?

It is a very good deal provided you use them in the 4 year period.

We just purchased 2 for the price of one on our cruise last week. To us, it is an excellent deal and better than the OBC as we really did not spend that much on board. We had our DSC paid in advance, did do one excursion via the ship and only spent a few $$s in the gift shop, didn't do the spa and already had a $200 OBC available.

We booked a 21 DAY cruise and they applied 2 certificates for down payment. We had to change schedule, and re-book a shorter cruise on a different date, but they allowed the 3 certificates to remain as the down payment. $750 deposit for $375 cost. Not a bad deal at all!

Two reasons people buy them.

1 - For lower down payment on a cruise. Many see almost no value here since the end cost is the same if you pay now, or pay later. If there were serious interest rates, there could be a float value. But, some just do not have the money upfront.

2 - You do get the savings, assuming you do not look at as "free" money and buy lots of EXTRA stuff board.

#2 is a real financial gain.

#1 is more of a short term convienence

We purchased 8 deposits for $1,000.00 on the Escape last year. We were worried that we might not use them all in the four year time frame. Well they're all gone. We used two each for four cruises. We were lucky that our chosen cruises were eligible for doubling up our deposits.

Can you use the cruise next on a cruise that you've already booked?

Can you use the cruise next on a cruise that you've already booked?

No.

I booked the Bliss about a year and a half out and used one certificate. Recently I discovered that you can use two certificates on cruises more than six months out (I don't know if this is a limited time promotion or not) After asking, they applied my second certificate retroactively.

I booked the Bliss about a year and a half out and used one certificate. Recently I discovered that you can use two certificates on cruises more than six months out (I don't know if this is a limited time promotion or not) After asking, they applied my second certificate retroactively.

They will do this as long as the certificate was purchased before the cruise was booked.

It was!

Can you use the cruise next on a cruise that you've already booked?

Yes, you can.

We booked ours in February, then bought a certificate on eBay in August and they applied it with no issue.

PAID by MASTERCARD on 9-Feb-2017 100.00

PAID by CRUISENEXT Coupon on 16-Aug-2017 250.00

Yes, you can.

 

We booked ours in February, then bought a certificate on eBay in August and they applied it with no issue.

 

PAID by MASTERCARD on 9-Feb-2017 100.00

PAID by CRUISENEXT Coupon on 16-Aug-2017 250.00

But when was the certificate purchased from NCL by the person who resold it to you?

But when was the certificate purchased from NCL by the person who resold it to you?

Years prior. I know you're going to say that the certificate must be purchased before booking, but I did call and ask before buying that one and NCL didn't specify that the purchase date would make any difference. If that ever becomes an issue for me, I will let you know. ;)

Yes, you can.

 

We booked ours in February, then bought a certificate on eBay in August and they applied it with no issue.

 

PAID by MASTERCARD on 9-Feb-2017 100.00

PAID by CRUISENEXT Coupon on 16-Aug-2017 250.00

Didn't even realize you could buy these on ebay... Looks like the going rate is $160-$170 per $250 certificate, which isn't as good as the deal onboard but still a nice savings. Does the seller transfer the certificates to your lattitudes account somehow, or they just give you the number to use like a gift card?

Does the seller transfer the certificates to your lattitudes account somehow, or they just give you the number to use like a gift card?

The certificate is assigned to the original buyer’s Latitudes account by NCL. One phone call to NCL with the new buyer’s Latitudes number and the transfer is done.